Extensible shaft



Sept- 4, 1951 w. M. SHOIFFNER 2,567,127

EXTENSIBLE SHAFT 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed 001;. 24, 1947 INVENTOR WILLIE M. SHOFFNER ATTORNEYS Sept. 4, 1951 w. M. SHOFFNER 2,567,127

EXTENSIBLE SHAFT 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Oct. 24, 1947 JNVENTOR WILLIE M. SHOFFNER am 6 Vow/5M ATTORNEYS Patented Sept. 4, 1951 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 5' I 2,567,127 V I I 1 l EXTENSIBLElSHAFT Willie M. Shoffner, Dayton, Ohio Application October '24, 1947, Serial No. 781,961

2 Claims. (Cl.-64'1') adapted to be connected to one of a' plurality of driven devices interchangeably so that any one of a plurality of devices can be driven by the single power source at the will of an operator.

One of the problems in providing an extensible shaft of the type that is adapted to connect a single power source to a plurality of driven devices interchangeably is that the distance between thedriving connection and the driven connection varies when changing from one to another of a plurality of different kinds of mechanisms. Also, not only does the distance change between the power source and the driven devices butFthe-iheight of the drive-shaft of the driven devices relative to the drive shaft :of "the "power source varies. Thus, for an-application of this kind it is .necessary to provide a driving shaft which 'hasa "considerable degree of extensibility and will function-properly"regardless of the angle at which it is positioned between the power source and the driven device.

One of the principal applications of the invention is on a power driven apparatus for sheet metal work wherein a plurality of individual forming tools are adapted to be interchangeably connected witht'he power source so that the 0pto the powersource to bring any one of a number of .tools into substantial alignment with the drive shaft of the power source.

It is therefore an object of this invention to provide an improved simplified form of 'exten sible shaft that may be" positioned between a" prime power source and anyone of a" number of individual tools selectively at'the' will of an operator.

' Still another objecto'f the invention is to pro vide an extensible shaft wherein the connection between the power source and the driven apparatus'is maintained by-a resiliently acting member which will take up all end-play between the power source and the driven apparatus that may" result from any varying distances occasioned by'i transferring the power source from one drivenapparatusto another.

Still anotherob'ject of the invention is to provide a telescoping extensible power shaft that is provided "with a universal joint at each end of the power'sh'aftf'and is further'provided with a erator can at will drive any one of a number of sheet metal forming .tools from a common power source.

sheet metal shops it is and has been for many years the conventional :practice to use individual sheet metal forming tools for various forming operations. These toolsare all handdriven by a cranlc'and all of (the-sheet metal shops have standard types of sheet metal forming tools which-have been purchased on the market over a long period of years. v

These tools are of various makes and styles so that there is no regular position from which the drive shaft extends. The only thing common among the tools is the fact that they all have a drive shaft that extends from one end of the forming tool to receive a handle which can be operated manually.

The extensible shaft of this invention is therefore adapted to extend between any one of a number of various makes and styles of sheet metal forming tools and a common power source, the sheet metal forming tools being positioned upon a rotatable table that may be rotated with respect devicefor-attaching one of theuniver'sal joints" to a power source -.and'theother universal joint to a driven device inaldetachable manner.

Further objects and advantages will become apparent from the drawings "and the following description. I

'In the drawings: 1.

Figure 1 illustrates a tool stand on which the extensible shaft of this invention is used.

"FigureZis' a perspective'elevational view of the extensible shaft of this invention.

Figure" 3 is an'elevational view illustrating "a. use of the extensible shaft.

Figure4 is an elevational view illustrating'an additional use of the extensible shaft. I

Figure 5" is a cross-sectional view'of the ex tensible shaft.

"Figure 6. is a cross-sectional view"taken'alon'g line 6--6 of'Figure 5.

Figure '7 is a cross-sectional view taken along" line T-'! of Figure 5.

To illustrate the manner of use of this inven irti'o-n', in' Figurei there isshowna tool stand it having a rotatable table II which carries a plurality of sheet metal forming tools I 2, lfla, 121?. I20, Md and [2a. Each of the forming tools has its drive shaft designated l3, 13a to [Sc inclusive.

A power source consists of an electric motor i i having a geared head drive Hi. The extensible shaft 2! of this invention is adapted to extend between the drive shaft of the geared head drive l5 and any one of the power tools I2, I20! to lZe inclusive. The table II is adapted to be indexed around the power source 4, and is retained in indexed position by means of the member I6 which aligns roughly the location of the forming tool with reference to the drive shaft of the geared head drive l5.

From the array of forming tools carried on the table H it will be appreciated that considerable flexibility is required to provide for a driving connection between the geared head drive l and the various forming tools.

For example, in Figure 3 the extensible shaft 20 extends between the forming tool 2b and the geared head drive l5. In this instance the drive shafts of the power source and of the forming tool are in substantial alignment, the extensible shaft thus being disposed substantially hori-. zontally.

However, in Figure 4 the power source I5 is connected with the forming tool l2, and in this instance it will be noted that the extensible shaft is required to operate at a considerable angle.

The detail construction of the extensible shaft is more particularly shown in Figures 2 and 5. The shaft consists of a hollow cylindrical body member or tube 2| that has one end thereof swaged into the form of a square end 22.

A square shaft 23 is positioned within the interiorof the tube 2| and has the end 24 extending through the squared end 22 of the tube 2|. The opposite end of the square shaft 23 is swaged to form a circular head 25 that slidingly fits the interior of the'tube 2|.

One end of the tube 2| carries a cap 26 retained on the tube by means of set screws 21. This cap has a pair of ears 28 between which a square block 29 is positioned. Pins 30 retain the square block in position between the ears 28. The cap 21 thus" forms one part of a universal joint.

The other part of the universal joint consists of a U-shaped body 3| having a pin 32 extending through the body and the square block 30. A projection 33 extends from the body 3| and carries a 12-point socket 34, the socket thus being able to receive both a hexagonal as well as a square shaft. The socket is retained on the projection 33 by means of a'set screw 35.

A compression spring 36 extends between the cap 26 and the head 25 to urge the square shaft 23 outwardly of the tube 2 I, to extend the length of the telescoping type of extensible shaft.

The extending end of the square shaft 23 receives a body member 40 having a pair of ears 4| between which a block 42 is positioned and is pivoted upon the pins 43, thus forming one part of a universal joint.

The other part of the universal joint is provided by a cylindrical body 45 having the ears- 45, a pin 41 extending through the block 42.

The body 45 is adapted to be secured to the drive shaft of the power source, and to this end it is provided with an internal bore 48 and a set screw 49. I

The member 4|) is retained on the end of the shaft 23 by means of set screws 50.

While the device disposed and described herein constitutes a preferred form of the invention, yet it will be understood that those modifications that fall within the scope of the appended claims are intended to be included herein.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. An extensible shaft unit comprising, a tu bular body member having a squared end of reduced size, a square shaft within the body member and slidably extending through said squared end and having an enlarged head at the end thereof within said body member to prevent removal of said shaft through said squared end and slidably engaging the tubular portion of said body member a substantial spaced axial distance from the squared end of said body, a uni-' versal joint on the extending end of said shaft, a closure member on the end of said body member opposite that of the squared end and having a universal joint as a part thereof one of said universal joints including a splined member, and

a spring under compression within said body. member between said closure member and said head on said shaft to urge the shaft outwardly through the squared end of said body member.

2. An extensible shaft unit comprising, a tu-' bular body member having a squared end of reduced size. a square shaft Within the body member and slidably extending through said squared end and having a cylindrical enlargement at the end thereof within said body member to prevent removal of said shaft through said squared end, and slidably engaging the tubular portion of the body member, a universal joint on the extending end of said shaft, a closure cap mem-' ber on the end of said body member opposite.

that of the squared end and forming a part of a universal joint, one of said universal joints in-' cluding a splined member, and a spring under, compression between said closure member and:

said cylindrical enlargement on said square shaft to urge the shaft outwardly through the squared end of said body member.

' WILLIE M. SHOEFNER.

REFERENCES CITED Thefollowing references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 46,478 Lauback Feb. 21, 1865 480,040 Saylor Aug. 2, 1892 514,990 Habersang et a1. Feb. 20, 1894 1,219,545 Gilbertson Mar. 20, 1917 1,438,702 Flack Dec. 12, 1922 1,896,901 Knapp et a1 Feb. '1, 1933' FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 180,165 Great Britain May 25, 1922 216,906 Great Britain of 1924 674,428 France "1"--- Jan. 28. 1930 

